Clock hand setting mechanism



Jan. 15, 1957 o. R. PETTERS CLOCK HAND SETTING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 18, 1954 INVENTOR OSCAR R. PETTERS BY W A ORNEY Jan. 15, 1957 o. R. PE'TTERS CLOCK HAND SETTING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 18, 1954 ill INVENT OR 050/: R R. PETTERS ATTORNEY United States Patent CLOCK HAND SETTING MECHANISM Oscar R. Petters, Lancaster, Pa., assignor to Hamilton Watch Company, Lancaster, Pa.

Application May 18, 1954, Serial No. 430,541

3 Claims. (Cl. 58-80) The purpose of the present invention is to provide means for setting the hands of a timepiece in either direction using the motive power utilized to operate the clock as the power means for rotating the hands and providing a manual control.

Heretofore, clocks have been set by electric motors or by heart cams or some other means to a predetermined point. This invention is directed to the use of the power which operates the clock or watch to drive the hands at an increased rate of speed, the hour hand making a complete revolution in seventy seconds and by observation stop the hands at the time desired.

The object of the present invention is to provide means for by-passing certain gears in the watch mechanism and transferring the power directly to the hands.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a manually operated button which when pushed will set the hands in motion and when released will automatically stop the hands.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front plan view of a clock operated by an electric motor with sections cut away showing the gearing mechanism.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section with one of the staffs oifset to a linear position.

Referring to Figure l, the face of the timepiece is shown having a dial 8, an hour hand 9, a minute hand and a sweep second hand 11. The hands are mounted on the cannon pinion 14' and are rotated at their proper speeds through gear 12, pinion 13, gear 14 and pinion 15. The sweep second hand mounted on the inner shaft 16 carries a gear 17 which meshes with pinion 18 on the motor driven shaft 19.

Referring particularly to Figure 2, a motor 20 drives a worm 21 which is connected to a worm gear 22 mounted on shaft 19. Mounted on and turning with the shaft 19 is a gear 23. Also mounted and turning with the shaft 19 is a worm 24 which drives Worm gear 25 mounted on shaft 26 which also carries worm 27. This cross shaft 26 is mounted in standards 28. Driven by the worm 27 is a worm gear 29. The worm gear 29 is carried on a central bushing 30 which is mounted for a running fit on a sleeve 31. Also mounted on sleeve 31 is a washer 32 which is held tightly pressed against the side of the worm gear by a spring washer 33. A bushing 34 is press-fitted on the sleeve 31 and holds the worm gear 29 with sufiicient pressure against the spring washer 33 to turn the sleeve 31 so that rotary motion of the shaft 19 is transmitted to the shaft 35 through a pair of worms and worm gears, thus reducing the motion so that the gear 15 mounted on the'shaft 35 drives the gear 14, the cannon pinion i4 and the minute hand 10.

The shaft 35 which is journalled in the bearings 36 also supports a pair of clutches 37 and 38. Each of the clutches support a gear 40 and 39, respectively, the gear 39 being connected directly to the gear 41 and through the gear 41 to the shaft 19, while the gear 40 is connected to an idler gear 42 which in turn is in mesh with the gear 23 mounted on the shaft 19.

A gear shift lever 43 carried by shaft 45 selectively closes either of the clutches 37 or 38, thereby rotating the shaft 35 either in one direction or the other. The gear shift lever 43 is operated through a shaft 45 having a handle 46 which may be either pushed or pulled to bring the desired clutch into engagement.

The normal operation of the clock is by means of the shaft 19 which is driven through the worm 22 by the worm gear 21 of the motor 20, said shaft 19 driving the worm 24, the worm gear 25, the shaft 26, the worm 27, the worm gear 29 and the shaft 35. The shaft 35 is connected through appropriate gear train 15, 14, 14, 13, and 12 to the hands of the clock.

Should setting of the hands he desired, the handle 46 is pushed inward to advance the hands, movement of the shaft 45 causing the gear shift lever 43 to close the clutch 38 whereby the shaft 35 is rotated at a much greater speed than when rotated by means of the worm gear 29. The sleeve 33, which is press-fitted to shaft 35, slips in relation to worm gear 29, thereby allowing shaft 35 to turn the hands through the gear 15 at a rate of speed which will cause the hour hand to make a complete revolution in 72 seconds. Should it be desired to set the clock back, the shaft 45 is pulled outward closing the clutch 37, which engages gear 39 with gear 41, and the shaft 35 is rotated in the opposite direction due to the idler gear 42 being connected between the shaft 19 and the shaft 35.

A setting mechanism, such as above described, may be used to set the hands through the motive power which ordinarily runs the clock. In the case of an electric clock there is noneed to stop the usual running of the clock as the extra motion is imposed over that of the usual rotation, even in the extreme case of where the clock is set backwards for a few minutes.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electric clock, indicating hands, a train of gears connected to said hands, a motor, a worm connected to and driven by said motor, a shaft mounted for rotation and having a worm gear connected to said worm, a second worm on said shaft, a pair of gears carried on said shaft and rotating therewith, a second shaft mounted at right angles to said first mentioned shaft, a worm gear carried on said second shaft and engaging said shaft carried worm, a third worm carried on said second shaft, a third shaft parallel to said first mentioned shaft, 21 third worm gear, means for frictionally mounting the third worm gear on said third shaft to permit the third shaft to be driven by said third worm and to also permit rotation of said third shaft at a faster rate of speed than said third worm through slippage between said shaft and said worm, a clutch carried by said third shaft, a gear carried by said clutch and connected with one of said first shaft carried gears, a second clutch carried by said third shaft, an idler shaft, an idler gear on said idler shaft, a gear carried by said second clutch and connected through said idler gear a to the other of the first said shaft carried gears, means including spring tensioning means for holding said third for selectively connecting either of said clutches with Worm in frictional contact with said third shaft and means said third shaft causing rotation of said third shaft through for adjusting said spring tension.

said first shaft carried gears at a greater rate of speed than when turned by said third worm and means connecting 5 References Cted the me of thls Patst said third mentioned shaft with said train of gears. UNITED STATES PATENTS 2. A hand setting mechanism according to claim 1, 1,960,508 Poole May 1934 wherein said frictional mounting means includes a spring 2 055 57 Bugnion et a1 Sept. 29, 1936 tensioning means for holding said third worm in contact with said third shaft. 10 FOREIGN PATENTS 3. A hand setting mechanism according to claim l, and 289,119 Switzerland June 16, 1953 

